Leichhardt, Sydney, North Sydney and Waverley councils say markets in their areas attract few complaints and stimulate business.

But at a Marrickville council meeting on Tuesday night, Liberal councillor Mark Gardiner said vendors had complained to him that the Newtown markets posed unfair competition.

He later said it had evolved into a "commercial operation" and a proposal to expand to 50 stalls would have made the square too crowded.

"In my view the market has never satisfactorily coexisted with the vibrancy that … King Street has. It was not contributing to the area at all,'' he said.

Five councillors - two Liberals, two Labor and an independent - voted to close the markets. Three councillors voted against and four were absent.

The Newtown Precinct Business Association had pledged support for the markets, which sell bric-a-brac, art, clothing, jewellery and pre-packaged food.

The market won a council-supported business achievement award last year.

The Newtown Neighbourhood Centre operates the markets and uses the proceeds to run community projects. The markets will continue until an appeal is heard.

Cr Gardiner cited fire safety concerns by operators at the adjacent Hub theatre, which has long been closed. It plans to reopen after extensive renovations. However Fire and Rescue NSW said the markets did not pose a concern while the theatre was unused.

The Greens councillor Sylvie Ellsmore described the decision as ''outrageous and heavy-handed".

A staff member at nearby second-hand clothing store Cream, Al Grigg, said markets did not affect the business.

"For a suburb that's slowly becoming less and less bohemian [the market] is a nice throwback to an old idea of Newtown," he said.

56 comments

As an ex-Newtownion, and one of the very few conservatives who lived in the area. I am a firm beliver in the free market. I always admired the self starter attitude of the stall owners. This is a mistake by the council but knowing how members of the community react to these types of things, I imagine this decision will be over turned post haste.

Commenter

Stu Nice

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 11:19AM

This is on par with the councils pathetic decision to not allow garbos to run and collect the trash. Holding up traffic like you would not believe. The council is playing nanny with the suburb and should be helping the community grow. This suburb is the highest concentration of population of any landmass in Australia. The council must be making a fortune. Yet the roads are pot holled and newtown strip is turning into another paddington. Lets hope it doesnt go down that path where the yuppies take over and it ends up a ghost town like paddington with every second shop being up for lease.

Commenter

BNS

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 3:57PM

That's ok Mark we'll remember you at the next council elections Libs for business even at a local level!

Commenter

Roger Kaputnik

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 11:24AM

What about the 2 Labor party councillors who voted for this? You are excusing them? Hypocrite much?

Commenter

Mypetmonkey

Location

Sydney

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 6:21PM

Giving way to glam? Try giving way to bland, Eastern-suburbs homogeneity. The very fact that there are two Liberal Councillors says it all.

Commenter

Berkeley

Location

Newtown

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 11:27AM

awww now where will all those pretentious hipsters buy their in-duh-viduality?

Commenter

Bender

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 5:45PM

Yeahhhh... Lets ignore the 2 Labor and 1 independent that voted for this as well.... It's all the Libs fault....

Commenter

Mypetmonekey

Location

Sydney

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 6:02PM

Yet another case of a council making decisions totally NOT in keeping with the wishes of the people they are supposed to be representing or the history and culture of an area.If they ever bothered to visit these markets they would realise the goods they're selling are not widely represented in shops in Newtown and hence cannot have a negative effect upon retail.Quite the opposite - if anything the markets encourage people to walk up King St. Just look at the roaring trade the cafe's opposite the Police station do on a weekend when the stalls are present.Marrickville council is, on the whole, a fine body. Or least in my dealings with them and their services in the years I have lived here but this is a big mistake. (That and parking inspectors on back streets at 10PM on Wednesday's writing tickets claiming public safety!)

Commenter

MickyC

Location

Stanmore

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 11:33AM

One talk to the owners of the gelato store next iiii optometrist will tell you that the flavour of local stores is being shouted out by chain stores.

Newtown markets are what makes it interesting to walk up King Street these days. As for the 'gentrification' of Newtown. That's conservative family values who still want to be 'cool'.

Over it.

Commenter

Chi

Location

Erko

Date and time

August 17, 2013, 12:03PM

I grew up and lived on an off in Newtown. But i guess this is in line and predicatable for Sydney; one of the most boring and bland cities in the world... no vision, no creativity, spark...BORING BORING BORING SYDNEY